The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-16
THE YOUNG HERO.

When the clock struck one, we and our
teacher were in front of the town hall, 10
see the medal for civil valor given to the
boy that saved one of his comrades from
the Pc.
On that terrace in front waved large
tri-colored flag.
We entered the courtyard OF the hall,
which was already full of people. At the
farther end was table covered with red
cloth, with some papers on it, and oenino
it row of gilt arm-chairs for the syndic
and the council. The town criers were
there, in eky-blue waistooats and white
stockings.
On the right of the courtyard was
drawn up company of city guards, Gov
cred with medals, and next to them
SQUAD of customs guards. On the other
side we're the firemen in full uniform and
many soldiers off duty, who had come TO
look on,-calvary men, sharpshooters'
and artillery men. The remaining space
was thronged with gentlemen, towns
people, few officers, women and boys.
We squeezed ourselves into corner
where there was already crowd OF
scholars and teachers of other classes.
Near us was group of common boys,
rom ten to eighteen years old, who we're
aughing and talking loudly; and it was
plain that they were all from the Pc sub
urb, comrades or acquaintance OF the
boy that was to get the medal.
Above, all the windows were occupied
by municipal officials. Even the bal
cony of the library was filled with peo-
pie, crowding against the balustrade. On
the opposite balcony, above the entrance
gate, numbers of girls from the public
schools were huddled, and many sol
diers' daughters" with their fine blue
wells. It was just like theatre All
were talking merrily, looking every now
and then toward the red table, to see II
anybody appeared. The band was play
ing softly at the end of the porch. The
sun beat on the high walls. 1t was beau.
tiful.
Suddenly, everybody in the courtyard,
on the balconies, and in the windows, be-
gan to clap their hands. I stood on tip
toe to zee. The crowd behind the red
table had opened, and man and woman
had come forward. The man was
holding the boy by the hand.
He was the one that had saved his
companion. The man was his father, a
mason, and was in holiday dress. The
woman, his mother, was small and fair,
and wore black gown. The boy, who
was also fair and small, wore a gray
jacket.
At the sight Of all those people, and on
hearing that roar of applause, they all
three stood still, not daring either to look
or move. A town crier pushed them up
TO the right of the table.
Everybody remained silent for mo-
ment, and then the applause burst forth
again on all sides. The boy looked up
at the windows and then at the balcony
where the Soldiers daughters" were.
He held his hat in his hands, and it SEEM
ed as if he did not exactly understand
where he was. Itsppeared to me that he
looked something like Coretti in the face,
but he had more color. His father and
mother kept their eyes fixed on the table.
Meanwhile, all the boys from Pc sub
urbs, who were close to us, pressed
forward, and made signs to their COM
panion, in order to. be seen, calling him
in low voice spin Pin p mot r By
dint OF calling him, they made themselves
heard.
The boy looked at them and held up
his hat to hide a smile.
At a given moment, all the guards
stood at Attention." The syndic came
in, accompanied by many gentlemen.
The syndic, who was quite gray, with
big tri.colored scarf, stood beside the
table. All the others took places behind
and on each side. The band stopped
playing, the syndic made a signal, and
all became silent He began to speak.
1 did not quite catch his first word, but
understood that he was telling what the
boy had done. Then his voice grew loud
er, and swelled out so clear and sono-
rous through the whole courtyard that
1 did not lose another word
"When, from the bank, he saw his
companion struggling in the river, al
ready seized with the terror of death, he
stripped off his clothes and went to his
aid withouta moments hesitation. Peo-
pie called out to him, You'll be drown
ed |" He did not answer. They laid
hold of him. He disengaged himself.